Cost of Living Comparison Between Ancud and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ancud and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Ancud versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,634 in Ancud versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Ancud versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ancud costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ancud 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 CLP 8,148

$11.99 MX$210

-27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.39 CLP 41.3K

$41.78 MX$733

6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 CLP 7,360

$10.75 MX$189

-26.51%

Cappuccino

$2.74 CLP 2,553

$3.50 MX$61.3

-21.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CLP 1,261

$1.45 MX$25.41

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 993

$0.88 MX$15.52

21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 CLP 3,018

$2.95 MX$51.7

9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,788

$4.51 MX$79.1

-9.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.43 MX$25.12

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,465

$1.84 MX$32.23

-14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,757

$1.57 MX$27.51

20.38%

Eggs

$3.64 CLP 3,386

$2.51 MX$44.06

45.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 CLP 9,876

$8.28 MX$145

28.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 CLP 6,099

$8.43 MX$148

-22.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 10.3K

$10.68 MX$187

3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,748

$2.61 MX$45.76

-27.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,410

$1.44 MX$25.22

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$1.96 MX$34.41

-19.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,339

$2.09 MX$36.74

-31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 CLP 1,204

$1.85 MX$32.47

-30.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,307

$2.17 MX$38.02

-35.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,141

$1.03 MX$18.09

19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,084

$1.07 MX$18.84

8.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 CLP 5,140

$4.10 MX$72.0

34.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 CLP 5,993

$10.17 MX$178

-36.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,458

$1.68 MX$29.38

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CLP 2,135

$2.53 MX$44.31

-9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 532

$0.51 MX$8.93

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 467

$3.23 MX$56.7

-84.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,320

$1.32 MX$23.17

7.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.9K CLP 18.5M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-32.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.1K CLP 19.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-10.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$130 CLP 120.9K

$82.0 MX$1,439

58.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$22.95 MX$403

-40.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.82 CLP 20.3K

$30.11 MX$528

-27.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.31 CLP 35.7K

$52.0 MX$912

-26.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

$18.53 MX$325

13.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 CLP 5,367

$4.98 MX$87.3

15.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$436 CLP 405.9K

$197 MX$3,463

120.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.86 CLP 46.4K

$35.60 MX$624

40.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.78 CLP 28.7K

$40.33 MX$707

-23.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 CLP 57.8K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 CLP 76.4K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 CLP 444.5K

$947 MX$16.6K

-49.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 347.1K

$474 MX$8,314

-21.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 CLP 824.8K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-46.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 CLP 560.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-50.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ancud: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Ancud and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Ancud vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $249, with Ancud cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ancud vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ancud is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,601 in Ancud and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Ancud versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,067 per month in Ancud versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,067 in Ancud versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ancud but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ancud the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ancud is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ancud gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.